Patent RU-2607333-C2 (RU)
Title: Method and device for harvesting and three-stage cleaning of topinambour tubers
Inventor: KARTASHOV STANISLAV GRIGOREVICH
IPC: A01D17/00
Filed: 2015-04-28
Granted: 2017-01-10
Abstract: FIELD: agriculture. 
     SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to agricultural production. Method includes transportation and cleaning of root crops simultaneously with supply of heap in lateral conveyors, cleaning is made by cleaning elements in form of brushes, installed above them. At first stage vibration cleaning is made by cleaning topinambour tubers, cutting of residues of stems and removal of residues of soil. At second stage vibration cleaning of topinambour tubers is made in drum cleaner with spiral screw, vibration brushes and vibration spring with adjustable pitch of spiral. At third stage residues of soil are cleaned out from grooves on topinambour roots by vibration pulsed action of brushes and metal mesh grid. Then cleaned tubers are supplied into outlet branch pipe with stone-caching box with opening front cover in its lower wall. Then tubers are directed to trough-shaped casing via horizontal-inclined conveyor. Device comprises lateral conveyors, cleaning elements in form of brushes, inclined vibration conveyor with sharpened coil type rollers and horizontal rubberized clot-squeezing drums with longitudinal riffles, pointed at angle of no less than 120°, that provides effective cleaning of topinambour, which is then supplied into housing of drum-cleaner with rotating tape spiral-shaped vibration screw installed at angle to horizontal no less than 15° to output of cleaned tubers. To screw shaft, using no more than four flat plates spiral tape is attached, and on its internal plane at least eight vertical cylinder bodies are fixed made in form of plunger pairs with brushes and springs, which are placed diametrically in radii from center of shaft at each step of spiral. Housings with brushes have possibility of rotation in horizontal plane in clockwise direction from 0 to 90° and back, as well as move in vertical plane. Between end walls of drum-cleaner housing vibrating spring is installed with diameter no less than 500 mm, which is made of metal wire with diameter no less than 4 mm. One end of spring is fixed to front end wall of drum-cleaner housing, and its other end is fixed to rockers through rear end wall using horizontal links, which are connected to at least three cylinders to control spiral pitch depending on dimensions of topinambour tubers. At distance of no less than 10 mm, in circle of diameter of vibrating spring on end walls of drum-cleaner no more than six horizontal angles are fixed for installation of metal grid on them. Simultaneous vibration of all said working elements is performed, which is transmitted from corresponding electric drives with frequency control. Then cleaned tubers through outlet branch pipe are supplied in trough-shaped casing with horizontal-inclined conveyor, which is turned by 180° from topinambour tubers path. In conveyor warm heated air is supplied from air-blower operated from solar battery installed on tractor cabin roof, it provides drying of topinambour tubers, which are then supplied into storage bin, and then they are unloaded from it via belt conveyor into separate vehicle. Control system of operation of all mechanisms is performed from microprocessor, installed in tractor cabin. 
     EFFECT: higher efficiency, operating speed and quality of topinambour tubers cleaning are achieved. 
     2 cl, 2 dwg